Mint It Up with the Most Refreshing of Spices!

The uses of mint are varied and endless. Along with being a common ingredient in everything from toothpaste to shampoo, mint leaves flavor numerous recipes, including chocolate, cookies, ice cream, and even fruit salad. This refreshing herb also offers numerous health benefits. Learn more about the marvelous mint plant and how you can use it to heal an array of health woes.

What Is the Mint Plant?

An herb from the genus Lamiaceae, mint leaves, or mentha, refers to approximately 20 different species of plants. While peppermint and spearmint are the best known varieties, this aromatic herb also exists in lavender mint, orange mint, chocolate mint, and pennyroyal varieties. You can eat fresh mint leaves, add dried mint to your favorite baked goods, brew mint tea, or even take mint supplements.

Whatever the form, mint is known to offer an array of health advantages. Read on to discover how the benefits of mint go far beyond freshening your breath.

Heal a Headache

Whether you suffer from persistent migraines or just the occasional tension headaches, mint can be just the thing to cure your pain and any accompanying nausea. With its refreshing and fresh aroma, mint is well known to help settle the stomach and eliminate queasiness. However, you might not realize that menthol and mint are also popular pain relievers.

The next time you feel a headache coming on, consider reaching for a basic mint balm instead of the Advil bottle. Rubbing a little on your forehead (and even your nose) can be just what you need to start feeling better. And science is on your side. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, studies show peppermint oil can relieve tension headaches and mitigate the temperature rise that often accompanies a migraine.

Strengthen Immunity

Did you know that mint leaves are celebrated immunity boosters? A powerful antioxidant, mint contains vitamin A and other nutrients that are known to protect cells from free radicals. On their own, these dangerous molecules can result in myriad problems, including organ damage and an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. According to one journal study, the compounds that are found in peppermint leaves inhibit some of the enzymes known to promote tumors. How’s that for a sweet benefit?

Support Weight Loss

If you’re looking to lose weight, you aren’t alone. According to one report, an estimated 45 million Americans go on diets each year. While adding a little fresh mint to your diet likely won’t be enough to shrink your waistline, it can help promote weight loss when combined with other efforts like healthy eating and exercise. In fact, studies show that mint stimulates enzymes in the digestive tract to turn fat into energy. So, by adding a little mint to your watermelon salad, or tossing a handful in your morning smoothie, you may just be able to increase the amount of fat being used rather than stored.

Looking for a great mint recipe that does double duty as a detoxifying beverage? Check out our Mint Lemonade Liver Cleanser, which is just the thing to keep you cool on a hot summer day.

Boost Brain Function

Fish isn’t the only thing to enjoy the label of brain food. Believe it or not, these bright-green leaves are also known to promote improved brain function. According to a report published in the International Journal of Neuroscience, simply inhaling mint in the form of essential oils may be enough to boost cognitive processes. The study, which involved young adults, showed that the smell of peppermint oil correlated with superior memory. Additional research revealed that the scent of mint oil increased alertness while driving and reduced feelings of frustration, exhaustion, and anxiety. Who knew mint could be enough to pacify road rage?

Ease Breastfeeding Discomfort

Of course, breastfeeding isn’t the only way to provide infants with a healthy diet, but it’s certainly a good one. Unfortunately, many women who would like to breastfeed experience serious nipple pain and discomfort that makes it hard to continue. Mint may offer a surprising solution to this uncomfortable dilemma. According to a study in the International Breastfeeding Journal, peppermint water was reported to help prevent nipple pain and cracking and allow women to breastfeed more easily.

Aid Digestion

For thousands of years, people have used fresh mint to alleviate digestive troubles, from indigestion to nausea, stomach upset, and bloating. Some studies even demonstrate that mint may be helpful in treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). If you experience stomach discomfort and other symptoms on the regular, consider upping the amount of mint in your diet. Our Mint Chocolate Chip Digestion Dessert Smoothie, for example, is a tasty way to treat indigestion and other stomach woes. Blend one up today and say hello to healthier digestion.